Matthew 2:1-9
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): Observe here how Jews and Gentiles compare notes about Jesus Christ. The Gentiles know the time of his birth by a star; the Jews know the place of it by the scriptures, Micah 5:2; and so they are capable of informing one another. Note: It would contribute much to the increase of knowledge if we did thus mutually communicate what we know. Men grow rich by bartering and exchanging; so if we have knowledge to communicate to others, they will be ready to communicate to us; thus many shall discourse, shall “run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased,” Daniel 12:4.
ADAM CLARKE (1760-1832): As to what is here called a star, some make it a meteor, others a luminous appearance like an Aurora Borealis; others a comet! There is no doubt, the appearance was very striking.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): It was probably not a star in the sense in which we use the word: that is a planet, or a fixed star; but a meteoric brightness, which moved in the sky, and so guided the wise men.
THE EDITOR: Why think it implausible for God to create a new star to mark the incarnate birth of His Son, the most unique birth in history—and then move it about according to His own purpose? Nothing is too hard for the Creator of the universe; in Genesis 1:26, the creation of all the stars is worded almost as if it was a minor afterthought: “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.”
JOHN GILL (1697-1771): It seems to be properly a star—a new and an unusual one, such as had never been seen, nor observed before; and is called His star, the star of the king born, because it appeared on His account, and was the sign of His birth, Who is “the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star,” Revelation 22:16. This they saw when they were in the east, in their own country; and according to the best observations they were able to make, it was in that part of the heavens right over the land of Judea; from whence they concluded that the king of the Jews was born; but the question is, how they should hereby know and be assured that such a person was born?
MATTHEW HENRY: Some think that this star put them in mind of Balaam’s prophecy. Balaam came from “the mountains of the east,” Numbers 23:7; and was one of their “wise men.”
ROBERT HAWKER (1753-1827): Some have thought these were men who practiced magic, like Balaam. It is remarkable this man prophesied of a star that should come out of Jacob.
JOHN GILL: There is a prophecy of Balaam’s which is thus expressed, “there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel,” Numbers 24:17, which is owned by some Jewish writers to be a prophecy of the Messiah; though the star there mentioned is considered by them as one of the Messiah’s titles.
CHARLES SIMEON (1759-1836): Whether they had heard of Balaam’s prophecy, we do not know. An expectation of a ruler to spring out of Israel was certainly far extended in the world.
MATTHEW HENRY: The general expectation entertained at that time in those eastern parts was of some great prince to appear. Tacitus, in his history takes notice of it; Suetonius also, in the life of Vespasian, speaks of it; so that this extraordinary phenomenon was construed as pointing to that king. These wise men had seen an extraordinary star, which they took to be an indication of an extraordinary person born in the land of Judea, over which land this star was seen to hover—this differed so much from anything that was common, that they concluded it to signify something uncommon.
MATTHEW POOLE (1624-1679): Although an extraordinary star appeared, which might let them know that God had produced, or was producing so extraordinary a work of providence in the world; yet without a supernatural interpreter they could not have made so true and particular interpretation of it, as upon the sight of it to have come with such confidence to Jerusalem, affirming that there was a King of the Jews born, and that this was His star, a light which God had put forth to direct that part of the world to the true Messiah. All guesses at the nature of this star, and the means how the wise men came to know that the King of the Jews was born upon the sight of it, and its motion, are great uncertainties; God undoubtedly revealed the thing unto them, and caused this extraordinary star, as at first to appear to confirm what He told them.
C. H. SPURGEON: They do not appear to have seen its light after they set out on their journey; it directed them to the region of Judaea so they came to the capital city, Jerusalem. God may sometimes send us stars, bright lights of joy, to guide us on our way; He may also take them away again, and then we must walk by faith.
CHARLES SIMEON: As soon as they went forth from Herod, the star, which had at first appeared to them in the East, became visible to them again, and went and “stood over the very house where the young child was,” Matthew 2:9. God withheld the miraculous appearance of the star when it was not necessary; and renewed it only when it was wanted to confirm the faith of the wise men—which the indifference of the Jews might have caused to waver.
THE EDITOR: Can I venture a further observation? When Jesus appears again in His glory, “we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is,” 1 John 3:2; as believers belonging to Christ, we are Abraham’s seed, Galatians 3:29; therefore, we are part of that innumerable multitude, as God promised Abraham, “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be,” Genesis 15:5. Until that day, like those eminent wise men, we also have things to do by faith in His Word.
Hear Christ’s admonition: “that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star,” Revelation 2:25-28—He will give us of Himself, and we “also shall reign with Him,” 2 Timothy 2:12. Thus we have “a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed—until the day dawn, and the day star arises in our hearts,” 2 Peter 1:19. Remember also the angel’s promise to Daniel, “they that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever,” Daniel 12:3.
